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Mancy’s Toledo

“Once places like this are gone, there is no replacing them.” said my mom after another memorable meal at Mancy’s steakhouse in Toledo, Ohio. Classic restaurants such as this truly are irreplaceable and have become fixtures in the community by offering simple, well prepared food with great service and atmosphere. Stained glass, portraits of lounging […]

Tasty Indy

Hanging out with our friend Patrick (a childhood friend of Brian) in Indianapolis, Indiana was a new adventure for me. I had never been to this cool, lively city before and somehow we decided to go up the same weekend as Indy 500!  This left Indy full of tourists and abandoned by a lot of […]

Backyard Barbeque is Back

For many Americans, a backyard barbeque means hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and beer.  Recently in our hometown of Perrysburg, Ohio our friend Haseeb invited us to an American barbeque at his home that is just a little bit different. I learned early on that an offer to have dinner at the Ahmed’s home is not […]

Sensory Pho

Smell the scent of freshly plucked Thai basil, the rich beefy aroma of the gently spiced broth; hear the slurping of noodles and crunching of a crispy spring roll. Eating pho and Vietnamese spring rolls has a ritual surrounding it, elements of seasoning and cooking at the table, and a variety of flavor, texture, and […]

Virginia Is Flexing Its Mussels

I have been lucky to have my aunt Polly to travel with; she has taken me along in her adventures from the Bahamas to Italy to some of my first trips to New York City. One early summer evening recently Polly took us to discover Occoquan, Virginia, a town south of Washington, DC. Once a […]

Central is “Capital”

Every now and then you stumble into an experience you couldn’t have expected. When we were in Washington D.C. this past week visiting my family we had a bunch of great meals. A Belgium place with my Aunt Polly in Virginia to just outstanding meals cooked at home. A day trip to the city happened […]

Mad About Mole!

In Chicago, Illinois, Rick Bayless’s restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo serve the highest quality authentic Mexican food in the United States and have long been supporters of sustainability and local agriculture. I had the pleasure of working at these restaurants (they share a single kitchen), during my externship at CIA.  My job during the six months […]

Enlightened Hospitality 101

Growing up in my house no one was ever left hungry. We always had a house full of food and the kitchen was–and is to this day–the center of the house. It wasn’t just my home either, it was my aunts’, uncle’, and grandparents’ houses too. At breakfast, we would sit together over anything from eggs […]

What’s Good About Meatloaf?

This American classic has unfortunately suffered from versions which may evoke memories that are less than desirable for the discerning cook. A good meatloaf will be still juicy when cooked, pleasantly textured, and well seasoned.  It is served well hot from the oven with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables, and is equally as good the next day […]

WD-50: More than Molecular

Molecular gastronomy is the term commonly used to describe the food at WD-50 and other restaurants who use cutting edge techniques and ingredients combined with creative ideas to achieve flavors and textures of food that would otherwise not be possible. WD-50 in New York City is undoubtedly a leader in this field, but, during our […]